Manchester City line-up Gareth Barry as first big-name 'swap' for New York City franchise

Daily Mirror | Jul 6

Manchester City want to keep Gareth Barry – and make him their man in New York, writes Alan Nixon of the Sunday People .

City supremos are keen to extend the midfielder’s contract and stop the long-serving star quitting on new boss Manuel Pellegrini as he arrives.

The news of the Barry plan comes as LA Galaxy revealed they wanted to make Frank Lampard the highest-paid player in MLS history to tempt him to leave Chelsea.

And part of City’s masterplan is to offer Barry a deal as the first big name ‘swap’ to the New York City franchise that the Arab ­owners have bought .

Barry is seen as the perfect type of player for the new MLS team when it starts and also as an ambassador to forge links between the two Citys. It is a carefully-conceived scheme that would see Barry, 32, stay on top-class money for the rest of his career and away from the clutches of other Premier League sides.